Comments on: A Slow Start

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:52:23 +0000

Well, I can safely say that we haven’t really started yet on what I said we’d for the challenge, and that’s because I haven’t pushed it forward. Must get on with that and actually, it shouldn’t be that hard because we tend to buy a lot of organic/local/fairtrade anyway (but I’m with Courtney on the booze – until CT wineries match Italian ones, I’ll keep buying the Montepulciano). Mike has started cycling to work again and is aiming for twice a week and we are discussing getting rid of one of the cars (gasp) and replacing it with a motorbike.
But outside the challenge, our recent electricity bill showed that we used only half the amount of electricity this April compared to last; that’s through the energy-efficient bulbs, the no zombie appliances, and cutting down on the amount we use the tumble dryer. Oh, and no TV.

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:36:40 +0000

Cam, trying to get a balanced diet is hard, and I notice that even Barbara Kingsolver and her family aren’t eating completely locally/homegrown in that book. For instance, they use spices and things like olive oil.

Stef, ooh, good idea. Strawberries will be around in spades soon, but I doubt the local farmers grown many jalapenos and habaneros (peppers Bob and I loved to grow in CT) for their PA Dutch cooking.

ZM, yeah, but, you know, I’m a telecommuter, so I do nothing but sleep all day !

DO and Court, you’re both right. Awareness is key, and all we can do is the best we can do. I have to remember to be happy about what I AM doing, compared to most, and not to beat myself up over what I’m not doing. Court, let’s raise our Presbyterian martini glasses high to that.

By: Courtney

Courtney — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:10:52 +0000

Geez, I’m exhausted just reading this and the comments…can I just keep not driving? Just kidding. In actuality I’m struggling with the organic drink situation too. In the end I honestly think we can only do the best we can. I am not giving up coffee, but I will buy fair trade and there is even a roaster in Pittsburgh. I will not give up tea (especially since you told me about Yogi ginger/lemon!!). And as for wine and martinis? I’m keeping those too. Some things just AREN’T local.
By the way, Presbyterians drinking martinis? We are such stereotypes (I’m presbyterian too
Anyway, just keep on keeping on. I think you are doing beautifully!

By: Dark Orpheus

Dark Orpheus — Wed, 07 May 2008 07:56:37 +0000

Hi, everyone. I’ve been following the posts on this challenge for a while, and would just like to drop a note about how encouraging it is to see people making the effort for a change.

Like Emily wrote, “Awareness is key” – and you guys have helped me pay more attention in my consumption here, in my little corner of the world.

By: ZoesMom

ZoesMom — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:33:29 +0000

I think the most long-lasting changes start slowly.

And your schedule makes mine sound rather slow. Wow, you’re busy!

By: Stefanie

Stefanie — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:44:01 +0000

Emily, if you are worried about growing food that you could buy from local farmers, something you could do is figure out what your local framers aren’t growing that you would really like to have and then grow that. For instance, maybe no one near you is growing strawberries so a strawberry patch would be a good thing. Or perhaps you really like jalapeno peppers but or you want to make your own pickles so you grow your own pickling cucumbers and dill.

By: Cam

Cam — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:00:59 +0000

Interesting point, Emily. Mandarine’s comment & yours shows just how complex & interrelated the economies around the world are — and that the reasons for some of those dependencies — especially on a country-level — is not a pretty history. I don’t know if it is a definite should or should not question in terms of growing your own food. I don’t know that I am obligated to grow or not grow my own, just as I am not obligated to buy from any one person. I do know that growing your own food entirely is something that many people could not do, due to land, resources, time. It’s hard work and those of us who do other valuable work may not have the skill, stamina or time to do it. I don’t think that is wrong.

One summer, several years ago, my garden provided 80% of my food due to some financial issues I was having at the time. That was tough, the food was limited to a few items, and although the food was nutritious, it probably wasn’t a balanced diet. And I wouldn’t have been able to raise enough to sustain my small family of 2 through the winter.

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:06:13 +0000

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, living where I live, is the idea of growing my own food. Now, here is an instance in which I think one could argue that I am cutting into the livelihood of local farmers. If I, who am perfectly capable of buying tomatoes from the farmers around here, decide to grow my own (which I’ve already noted I’ll be doing, since a friend gave me two tomato plants), then I won’t be buying them from local farmers (provided I can keep them alive, always a big “if” when you have a brown thumb, as I do) who may need my money in order to sustain themselves and their farms. I don’t have an answer to the question, but I have been wondering: should those of us who can afford to buy food from others really be growing our own food? Or maybe I should be growing it and then giving it away to those who can’t afford to buy it. If nothing else, I’m certainly doing a lot of THINKING these days!

By: mandarine

mandarine — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:29:00 +0000

Beware of the old “if I stop buying stuff from poor countries, it will put the farmers there out of business” motto. Those people need jobs growing coffee to earn money to pay for food that they import and we produce. Poor countries stopped growing their own food because we needed them to pay the interest of their debt in hard currency, so they turned to export crops to get those dollars to give them back to our banks. Why are they indebted to us? Because they needed help, but we never gave help for free. And the biofuel catastrophe is the final blow, because now we say “sorry, we’ll be keeping our cereals for our cars (and beef) this year”.

By: Cam

Cam — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:41:36 +0000

Eva brings up a good point. No joking, our actions to not by imports has an impact on workers in those industries (such as tea growers who hire tea pickers and sell to tea brokers, etc.) That is why free-trade is so important. Goes back Emily’s concept outlined on her original post about just — not just care for the environment but eco-justice. Sometimes there are tough tradeoffs. Take the case of biofuels — may lessen dependence on oil, but the amount of corn used for biofuels impacts people who are starving. Big issue especially for people who live in corn-growing country like I do. There are lots of incentives for farmers to grow hybrids to use for biofuels, which equals less growing of corn to feed people. Even among corn used for food, there is issues with what is used for high-fructose corn syrup vs what is used for other food uses. I don’t know all about these complex issues, but I want to find out more!